45690 The Cumbrian Mountain Steam Express II 11/3/17

The diesel had a path all the way to Edinburgh. Either the piloting of the tour took that path, the tour took it's own path with the diesel or a completely different path was found. It was not in the plan to add the diesel at Abingdon. That was necessitated by an odd circumstance. In any case a path was found and one path was not needed as the diesel pulled the tour.

 

If you look on RTT you will find the path for the diesel was cancelled from Abington, after which it became part of the late running charter. At the end of the day the tour ran so what does it matter what path was cancelled?

Dave B

 

The significant points are (a) that two paths were found and set up, one for the tour train and one to get the diesel to Edinburgh ready to work the return, and (b) that the timing of the latter was such that the diesel could stop and wait at Abington when the coal problem became apparent. (a) was good planning. (b) may have been good planning or good luck.

 

Tend towards your second proposition (b) in that a monumental foul up was mitigated by good operational command ie FFS was turned to 'Bravo!'.

 

And demonstrates the fluidity within paths on the day. Common sense won out.